The best known date on the Buddhist calendar, familiar even to non-Buddhists, is the thrice sacred day of “Wesak”. Wesak is the name of a month in the ancient Indian calendar and it usually falls in May though sometimes it may commence in the later part of April or extend to the early part of June. For this year, it falls on today – May 19, 2008. Wesak is derived form the original Pali word “Wesakha” or Sanskrit “Waishakha”. In some countries it is also known simply as Buddha Day.

Wesak Day holds special significance for the millions of Buddhists who comprise a fifth of the world’s total population. In thousands of temples across the world from Tokyo in the East to San Francisco in the West, Buddhists will pay homage to an Indian Prince who forsook the pleasures of a royal household to bring peace and happiness to mankind. The Buddha was born in 623 B.C. on a Wesak full-moon day. The young Prince was named Siddhartha or “the one who has brought about all good.” His parents, King Suddhodana and Queen Mahamaya, ruled a small kingdom in Northern India.

It is said that when he was born an ancient sage called Asita came to visit him. The sage took the child in his arms and first smiled, then wept. Questioned about his extra-ordinary behavior the sage explained that he smiled because the child would one day become the greatest teacher the world have ever known and he wept because he would not live long enough to see the boy grow up.

On the 35th anniversary of his birth, again on the full-moon day of Wesak, and seated under a bodhi tree in Buddha Gaya, the ascetic Siddartha became the Buddha. For the next forty-five years the Buddha traveled around Northern India preaching his message of loving-kindness for all beings and realization of the nature of existence.

As with all other great religious teachers the Buddha found opposition to his teaching. But many saw the truth of his teachings and followed him, learning how to lead a proper religious life to free themselves from the misery of existence. Finally, after forty-five years, lying under two beautiful sala trees, before a large assembly of monks, the Buddha passed away at Kusinara. This passing away is also known as Mahaparinibbana or the attainment of ultimate peace and bliss. This great event also occurred on the full-moon day of Wesak. The Buddhist Era begins from the Mahaparinibbana – passing away of the Buddha.

Hence on Wesak Day, Buddhists all over the world commemorate three great events: The Birth, Enlightenment and the Passing Away of Gautama Buddha. As Buddhism spread from India to all parts of the world, the teachings were readily assimilated with the cultures of the people who accepted the teachings. As a result, Buddhist art and culture took on a rich variety of forms with profound gentleness and kindness as the Buddha expressly forbade the use of force. The practice of Buddhism was adapted in many ways to suit the nature of the various cultures that accepted it.

As a result of this, Wesak is celebrated in many different ways all over the world. But in essence many practices have become universal. It is most important to remember that this sacred day is purely and simply a religious festival and not a festive occasion for feasting, drinking and dancing. On this day all Buddhists are expected to reaffirm their faith in the Buddha Dhamma and to lead a noble religious life. It is a day for meditation and for radiating loving-kindness.

Celebrating Wesak also means making special efforts to bring happiness to the unfortunate like the aged, the handicapped and the sick. To this end, Buddhists will distribute gifts in cash and kind to various charitable homes throughout the country. Wesak is also a time for great joy and happiness. But this joy is expressed not by pandering to one’s appetites but by concentrating on useful activities such as decorating and illuminating temples, painting and creating exquisite scenes from the life of the Buddha for public dissemination. Devout Buddhists also vie with one another to provide refreshments and vegetarian food to devotees who visit the temple to pay homage to the Buddha.

To all Buddhists, happy Wesak day!